Understanding Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Principles in Java

Java, being one of the most popular programming languages in the world, is built around the principles of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). OOP enables developers to structure software in a modular way, which enhances readability, maintainability, and scalability. In this blog, we’ll explore the four fundamental principles of OOP in Java: Encapsulation, Abstraction, Inheritance, and Polymorphism.

1. Encapsulation

Encapsulation refers to bundling data (variables) and methods that operate on the data into a single unit or class. It helps in restricting direct access to certain components of an object, ensuring that the internal implementation details of a class are hidden from the outside world. This leads to increased data security and integrity, as well as providing a controlled way to access and modify the data.

How Encapsulation Works in Java:

In Java, we achieve encapsulation by declaring class variables as private and providing public getter and setter methods to access and update them.

Example:

class Person {
    private String name;
    private int age;
    // Getter method for name
    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }
    // Setter method for name
    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }
    // Getter method for age
    public int getAge() {
        return age;
    }
    // Setter…